Arts Midwest: Shakespeare in American Communities

Shakespeare in American Communities is a national theater program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, bringing performances and related educational activities to audiences across the country. The program supports high-quality, professional productions of Shakespeare’s plays and related educational activities for middle and high school students in underserved schools throughout the United States. During the inaugural season, the program partnered with the Department of Defense to present plays in military bases and in 2009-2011 partnered with the Department of Justice to reach youths in the justice system through educational programming.

Shakespeare in American Communities is building future audiences and inspiring students to become informed theatergoers. The program’s national prestige empowers theater companies to leverage new connections in their community with teachers and school districts, civic and state partners, and other funders.

This year the program has two opportunities available for eligible applicants to reach students with the works of Shakespeare through theater:

• Shakespeare in American Communities: Schools
• Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice

Amount: Dependent upon opportunity, as follows:

• Shakespeare in American Communities: Schools – The standard grant award is $25,000. Grants will be awarded to up to 40 theater companies to support performances and related educational activities for students from 10 or more schools. These awards require nonfederal match of 1 to 1. See guidelines for more information.
• Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice – Grant awards of $20,000–$25,000 will be awarded to 6-10 applicants to support theater education programs that reach youths within the juvenile justice system. These awards will not require a nonfederal match of 1 to 1. See guidelines for more information.

Eligibility: Dependent upon opportunity, as follows:

• Shakespeare in American Communities: Schools – This opportunity is open to eligible 501c(3) professional theater companies that have produced Shakespeare or classically-based repertoire within the last five years and have a minimum of two years’ experience providing both performances and related educational activities for middle and/or high school students
• Shakespeare in American Communities: Juvenile Justice – This opportunity is open to eligible 501c(3) theater companies or organizations that have two years’ experience partnering with the justice system and providing Shakespeare and theater education programs for this population

Link: https://www.artsmidwest.org/programs/shakespeare

Note: An Intent to Apply is required to be submitted by December 6, 2019. Full applications are due by February 12, 2020.

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